I think my motor is shot, tell me what you think.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,279
emax02 does your car stall when ur RPMs fall? within the past 3 days my car has been acting up as well. i noticed that when i come to a stop light the rpms r very inconsistant and fall drastically and eventually stalls. when it almost stalls and i tap the gas to keep it alive it gurgles and strugles to stay alive but with enough gas it doenst stall. i also hear a hissing at low rpms and at high rpms i can hear some exhaust note i havent heard before. i have also had a extremly wierd idle. it will sit at 1300 rpms even after being warm then out of no where fall to the normal idle. i checked my PCV valve and noticed that the spring on the inside was worn. the valve was staying open when it shouldnt since the spring has lost its tension. i hope this might be my culprit as well. i have 60k on my car. im about ready to sell the max as well my problems are just as bad if not worse. i ordered a new PCV valve and it will be here tomorrow. i will let u know if this solves anything. hope you get to the bottom of this!
will
will
Originally Posted by WILLSE
emax02 does your car stall when ur RPMs fall? within the past 3 days my car has been acting up as well. i noticed that when i come to a stop light the rpms r very inconsistant and fall drastically and eventually stalls. when it almost stalls and i tap the gas to keep it alive it gurgles and strugles to stay alive but with enough gas it doenst stall. i also hear a hissing at low rpms and at high rpms i can hear some exhaust note i havent heard before. i have also had a extremly wierd idle. it will sit at 1300 rpms even after being warm then out of no where fall to the normal idle. i checked my PCV valve and noticed that the spring on the inside was worn. the valve was staying open when it shouldnt since the spring has lost its tension. i hope this might be my culprit as well. i have 60k on my car. im about ready to sell the max as well my problems are just as bad if not worse. i ordered a new PCV valve and it will be here tomorrow. i will let u know if this solves anything. hope you get to the bottom of this!
will
will
Hello Will, it sounds like you have a bad Mass air flow sensor (MAFS). I have had like 7 go between this car any my other Vq's. My problen is quite a bit worse I think since my exhaust is filled with smoke
Want to trade? Haha...
From what I understand the FWD VQ35 is made in USA, my Nissan regional rep told us about it. Engine is made at the same engine plant as the Altimas. Still the VQ aint no Toyota 3.0L V6 where they blow up left and right- I know well... or a Acura TL where now we have engine block problems AND tranny problems. I found out why the MAFs go, I've had 4 go and I'm on the 5th one- the MAF housing is the culprit, there is a updated housing/assembly. I've been on the same maf for like over half a year KNOCK ON WOOD.
Donating Maxima.org Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 381
emax02, easiest way to check for blown head gasket is to stand behind the car and smell the exhaust. If it smells sweet, it's head gasket. If it doesn't, unless you have a sinus problem, then it's not.
Any time you have a blown head gasket, the exhaust will have a sweet smell.
Disclaimer: Only allow a professional mechanic to attempt to suck exhaust fumes. If you decide to attempt this, only attempt this with the supervision of an emergency response team. Do not try this at home unless a written will has been established. Do not attempt this to get high. Do not stay exposed to exhaust fumes for extended period of times. Maxima.org and I do not recommend sucking exhaust fumes as a diagnosis method, but as a means of pleasure.
Side effects include, and are not limited to: nausea; diarrhea; cholera; irritable bowel syndrome; itchy eyes, throat, ****; loss of apetite; erection; retardation; and in some cases death.
Any time you have a blown head gasket, the exhaust will have a sweet smell.
Disclaimer: Only allow a professional mechanic to attempt to suck exhaust fumes. If you decide to attempt this, only attempt this with the supervision of an emergency response team. Do not try this at home unless a written will has been established. Do not attempt this to get high. Do not stay exposed to exhaust fumes for extended period of times. Maxima.org and I do not recommend sucking exhaust fumes as a diagnosis method, but as a means of pleasure.
Side effects include, and are not limited to: nausea; diarrhea; cholera; irritable bowel syndrome; itchy eyes, throat, ****; loss of apetite; erection; retardation; and in some cases death.
There was once a man who thought that adding Synthetic Oil to his car will make his car run forever and ever and ever. So he stuck to his guns, Adding oil every 10K miles. Then one day going down the Hwy He heard BOOOOOOM 
Pulled to the side of the road, popped the hood and his engine was DOOOMED.. Then he called a Man Name Ali to Fix his car for cheap since he was low on Cash. Ali brings his car home, Takes the engine out, Takes it apart and his Pistons are All Smashed. Picked up the phone called the man, HEY WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CHANGED OIL MAN 
Pulled to the side of the road, popped the hood and his engine was DOOOMED.. Then he called a Man Name Ali to Fix his car for cheap since he was low on Cash. Ali brings his car home, Takes the engine out, Takes it apart and his Pistons are All Smashed. Picked up the phone called the man, HEY WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CHANGED OIL MAN
Emax, On a serious note. From what you are telling me, Sounds like you have Either a Stuck or Bent Valve Causing Oil to seap through and burn inside the Chamber with fuel. Causing the constant smoke. I think you are upstate NY. I live in NC. If your engine turns out to be bad, Put it on a dolly, Drag it down to NC with your new engine, I'll install it for you in Probubly 2-3 days. if that much. And it won't cost you 2Grand. Good Luck. Call me or PM me if you need help with anything. 919 395 8526
Guy locally has VQ35 from 02 with 11K miles $1150
Guy locally has VQ35 from 02 with 11K miles $1150
Originally Posted by PIONEER
Emax, On a serious note. From what you are telling me, Sounds like you have Either a Stuck or Bent Valve Causing Oil to seap through and burn inside the Chamber with fuel. Causing the constant smoke. I think you are upstate NY. I live in NC. If your engine turns out to be bad, Put it on a dolly, Drag it down to NC with your new engine, I'll install it for you in Probubly 2-3 days. if that much. And it won't cost you 2Grand. Good Luck. Call me or PM me if you need help with anything. 919 395 8526
Guy locally has VQ35 from 02 with 11K miles $1150
Guy locally has VQ35 from 02 with 11K miles $1150
Thank you for the offer Pioneer. However I live in R.I. and I really have all the details worked out over here now.
Heres the low down, I just got off the phone with my mechanic. He says a piston is shot or valve or somehting down low in the engine. He said it would be cheaper to replace the motor with a used one. I found a engine about 35 miles away for $975. The motor is out of a 2002 Nissan maxima, it has been tested for copression and all is well. The motor has a 90 day warrnaty on it also. Ohh and did I mention it only has 7K miles on it
I plan to go pick this engine up tomarrow and put it in the folks volvo wagon, then take it over to my mechanic. It looks like when this is all said and done it will cost about $1500. I am going to stop using amsoil now since the premium price I paid does not seem to have helped any. I will also go back to 5K mile oil change intervals.This is a wake up call, I have to stop beating the $hit out of my cars. I mean I really drive my car's hard and I end up paying out the nose for it. Not cool..
I will let everyone know what happenes when more develops.
Glad you got it figured out. The good thing for us Maxima owners is that replacement engines are cheap. Might have to pick me up a couple to put on the side for a rainy day.
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 908
Originally Posted by sorcereur
Bro, u need to change your oil at 3k miles.
That's what i do, and i use Mobil 1. To some it's overkill, but at least my mind is at peace and my car is always in top shape.
That's what i do, and i use Mobil 1. To some it's overkill, but at least my mind is at peace and my car is always in top shape.
.........
E-mail me or PM me personally I need a 3.5L crankshaft ! As far as little compression in the engine- I would check the butterfly screws on the throttle plate and the change over plates for the 2ndary intake runners. I've seen those fall out on about 10 VQ35s so far at Nissan causing EXACLY what you described, along with some block cracking circumstances the engine itself is trouble free. I have personally been beatting the shieeet out of my car from day one I bought it brand new in June of '01, I got 73K miles on the odo - had 4 when new, and the car runs flawlessly. I have 8th set of tires on the front right now, and went through 2 clutches soo far- stocker started to slip when I was towing jetskis and such things with it. But I have had the hitch off my car since the OE clutch gave out at 32K miles, the ACT lasted 41K miles and I have another ACT clutch, Fidanza and Phantom Grip LSD ready to be installed as soon as I finish putting my SR20DET into my 93 G20. As far as I'm concerned 3.0s are bullet proof 
My car had NOS on it when it had 1500 miles on the odo, been sprayed about 5 NOS 10lb bottles, and I took it off and put it on my 93 SE-R turbo to help turbo spool up. Thanx, Happy Motoring.
My car had NOS on it when it had 1500 miles on the odo, been sprayed about 5 NOS 10lb bottles, and I took it off and put it on my 93 SE-R turbo to help turbo spool up. Thanx, Happy Motoring.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 717
Originally Posted by emax02
Whats up guy's long time no see, aye.. Well today my maxima had a big day, the car has all sorts of problems now. When I started the engine up this morning the car emmediatly started burning oil (I think). There was smoke just every where, the smoke is mostly white with a hint of blue. It smells like buring oil. Well I took the car out to pick up a new snow board (I was going to go SB tonight, not any more..) and the car continued to shoot out smoke. Well after 20 miles the problem is still here. I examined the car in my garage when I got home and when I tap the excellerator I hear a whisteling noise, right near or below the intake manifold. The car judders now when I hit the gas, it does not rev properlly.
So what do you guy's think? Cracked head or something, blwon head gasket? This really stinks, I am deppressed now. I think the motor is toast...
I thought maybe the car was running insanely rich becuase of a bad MAFS so I put my spare on. This of course made now difference. If the motor is shot it means I am going to have to put a lot of the stock parts back on, what a PITA that will be.. And then beg for warranty repair (I have about 30K miles). If the motor is gone I am going to say good by maxima, this car has been nothing but trouble since day 1. I have a substantialy higher income now so I think I will be replacing this car with a gently used S4 (I know they are un-reliable, however I will make sure it has a warranty while owning it). I have really changed a lot in the last year in regards to car enthusiasm, all I really want now a days is a nice reliable car that packs a punch (with out the noise). I think I am pretty much finished modifiying car's (of course if I get an S4 I will still chip it, lol)
Tell me what you think, am I screwed?
So what do you guy's think? Cracked head or something, blwon head gasket? This really stinks, I am deppressed now. I think the motor is toast...
I thought maybe the car was running insanely rich becuase of a bad MAFS so I put my spare on. This of course made now difference. If the motor is shot it means I am going to have to put a lot of the stock parts back on, what a PITA that will be.. And then beg for warranty repair (I have about 30K miles). If the motor is gone I am going to say good by maxima, this car has been nothing but trouble since day 1. I have a substantialy higher income now so I think I will be replacing this car with a gently used S4 (I know they are un-reliable, however I will make sure it has a warranty while owning it). I have really changed a lot in the last year in regards to car enthusiasm, all I really want now a days is a nice reliable car that packs a punch (with out the noise). I think I am pretty much finished modifiying car's (of course if I get an S4 I will still chip it, lol)
Tell me what you think, am I screwed?
Originally Posted by BlackBIRDVQ
E-mail me or PM me personally I need a 3.5L crankshaft ! As far as little compression in the engine- I would check the butterfly screws on the throttle plate and the change over plates for the 2ndary intake runners. I've seen those fall out on about 10 VQ35s so far at Nissan causing EXACLY what you described, along with some block cracking circumstances the engine itself is trouble free. I have personally been beatting the shieeet out of my car from day one I bought it brand new in June of '01, I got 73K miles on the odo - had 4 when new, and the car runs flawlessly. I have 8th set of tires on the front right now, and went through 2 clutches soo far- stocker started to slip when I was towing jetskis and such things with it. But I have had the hitch off my car since the OE clutch gave out at 32K miles, the ACT lasted 41K miles and I have another ACT clutch, Fidanza and Phantom Grip LSD ready to be installed as soon as I finish putting my SR20DET into my 93 G20. As far as I'm concerned 3.0s are bullet proof My car had NOS on it when it had 1500 miles on the odo, been sprayed about 5 NOS 10lb bottles, and I took it off and put it on my 93 SE-R turbo to help turbo spool up. Thanx, Happy Motoring.
My car had NOS on it when it had 1500 miles on the odo, been sprayed about 5 NOS 10lb bottles, and I took it off and put it on my 93 SE-R turbo to help turbo spool up. Thanx, Happy Motoring.Thanks for the offer and suggestions. However a fellow org member is buying the motor off of me
Jake, I understand that, I have been having these probalems since I blew the tranny up on my first car on day four, lol. No one told me bomb drops would blow up a tranny.
We all thought the big burn out was sweet!
Keep beating on your Max... ! I do ! I beat the crap out of my 89 Stang and never blew the motor. I did so much street racing in that thing ! Same with my WS6.....its just a luck of the draw...
Originally Posted by RastaManMax
If you beat the crap out of your car, it's a good idea to change the oil more often... Regardless, it's better to change the oil more often...
LEMAR
LEMAR
I agree with this statement now and I will most definatly be changing my oil more often in the future. Before this last oil interval I use to always change the oil every 5K miles. I read all of the oil testing on the org and it looked like 8K mile intervels with a high quality sythetic oil was perfectly safe. I guess this research did not take in mind the enthusiasts oil change intervals...
Update: The used motor has ben purchased and will be shipped to my mechanic most likely on Monday. Shipping is free, you cant beat that! When this is all said and done it looks like this mess will only cost me $1300. No bad at all
Blowing a motor is no worse then a transmission, lol.
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